A go-to choice for support on complex public law matters involving the energy, financial, infrastructure and telecoms sectors, VdA uses its ‘multidisciplinary skills and know-how’ to advise domestic and international clients. Co-head Paulo Pinheiro is lauded for his broad skillset and proficiency in matters concerning public procurement, public contracting and regulatory issues. Fellow co-head Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira excels in administrative litigation. Ana Marta Castro is noted for her ’extraordinary ability to permanently support the client’ with public law matters, predominantly focusing on regulation and concessions. André Gaspar Martins works with entities based in Portugal and Lusophone Africa on public procurement, concessions and administrative disputes.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Ana Marta Castro has an extraordinary ability to permanently support the client and is always looking for the best solutions to their problems.'
'I highlight Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira and João Soares Franco for their vast technical-legal knowledge, rigour in resolving matters and excellent communication skills.'
'The public law team, coordinated by Rodrigo Esteves de Oliveira, has been very effective and an essential support in handling matters for which it was necessary to seek legal support.'
'It does not promote a defensive policy towards the client which is very common with law firms. This facilitates the growth of relationships and creates trust between the parties.'
'The quality of the service provided is excellent from a technical and legal perspective, which gives the company confidence and security as a client.'
'It has the ability to create empathy with clients, which facilitates relationships and promotes collaboration for the adoption of necessary legal solutions.'
'It is a firm with multidisciplinary skills and know-how, which is an added value for clients.'
'One of the points to highlight, in addition to technical knowledge, is also the way it interacts with the client, from a perspective of permanent partnership, in the search for the best, quickest and most economical solutions. It has been, so far, an exemplary collaboration.'

Key clients

Acciona Group
Águas de Portugal Group
ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, S.A.
Azores Regional Government
Banco de Portugal
Biogen MA Inc. and Biogen Portugal, Lda.
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.
CTT – Correios de Portugal, S.A.
CUF, S.A.
Ferrovial Construccion
Finerge, S.A.
Group EGF – Environment Global Facilities
Madeira Regional Government
MEO – Serviços de Comunicações e Multimédia, S.A.
NAV Portugal, E.P.E.
Novartis AG and Novartis Farma, S.A.
Ordem dos Contabilistas Certificados
Parpública
Portuguese Government
Portuguese Government (Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy)
Rubis Energia Portugal
Sapio Gruppo
SATA Air Açores, S.A.
Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos (SFPS)
Solverde – Sociedade de Investimentos Turísticos da Costa Verde, S.A.
Tejo Energia, S.A.
Vodafone Portugal – Comunicações Pessoais, S.A.

Work highlights

Represented Banco de Portugal in over 600 legal proceedings related to the resolution measure that was applied to Banco Espírito Santo.
Represented CTT – Correios de Portugal in arbitration proceedings brought against the Portuguese State aiming for compensation due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the postal service concession agreement.
Represented SOLVERDE in arbitration proceedings brought against the Portuguese State aiming for the financial rebalancing of the concession agreement regarding the operation of three casinos in Algarve due to the impact of the 2008 financial crisis.

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